Southern standard. (McMinnville, Tenn.) 1879-current, 1887-04-16
WASHINGTON.
Items of Interest about Men and Affairs
Around the National Capitol.

ington Navy Yard intoa great ordi-
nance foundry for the manufacture of
steel guns for the navy is being push
ed rapidly forward. 1t is proposed
to establish a foundry capable of turn
ing out forty steel guns of the largest
size each year, besides supplying all
of the ordinance stores ofthe vessels in
commission. To do this will require
the services of one thousand men and
the monthly pay roll will exceed $780,
600.
The news that two or three of the
southern military companies decided
to withdraw from participation in the
National Drill on account of the adj
mission of colOred troops competition
is generally regretted here. Not
that it will have the least effect upon
the enterprise the success of which is
so well assured but because it puts
the companies withdrawing in po-
sition which is not tenable. The idea
that to complete with colored compa-
MES in the drill is to admit of social
equality is too absurd to admit of
argument.
Although the law strictly prOhib-
its the sale of liquors in Washington
on Sunday, the saloon keepers gener-
ally have been 50 persistent in evad-
ing it, as to render the prohibition
clause practically dead letter. The
Commissioners have determined that
in the future the law shall be strictly
enforced, and in accordance with this
decision, they have issued an order
to the effect that "all keepers of ho-
tells, saloons and retaurant in the Dis
trict of Columbia who have been twice
convicted of selling liquor on Sum
day, shall upon such second convic-
ton forfit their license, and no license
shall be granted to the person so
offending, nor to any one else occupy
ingthe premises upon which the Of
tense was committed, during the
license year then ensuing
This order will no doubt have thede-
sired effect as it cuts off every chance
of escape for the saloon keepers, and
it is not probable that any of them
will have temerity to run so danger
Gus a risk as that of selling liquor on
Sunday now involves.
The interstate commerce commiss-
ienhas been in almost continuous ses-
sion during the past week much of its
time being occupied in listening to
the arguments ofattorneys in the in
terests of several great railroad sys-
TENS in the southland west whose bus
mess has been most seriously affected
by the law. The section known as
the long and short haul clause J"
which prohibits railroad companies
from discriminating in favor of ship
pers to distant points has the most Sc
rious effect upon the interests Of the
various companies and in order to en-
able the Commission to carefully con-
slider the question, an order was is
sued on Wednesday last suspending
the operation Of the Objectionable
clause for ninty days. The commiss-
ion has secured commodious officers
in the new Baltimore Sun Building.
This is an eight story marble front
structure, to which the builders are
just putting the finishing touches.
1t was built, and is owned by the Bal
timOre Sun publishing company. 1t
is centrally located midway between
the Post Office and Interior Depart
: ment upon one hand and the Treas
ury on the other, and is by far the
finest private building in the city.
During the Democratic Admins
tration many of the musty regulations
: with which Republican official life
: had hedged itself in have been over
hauled, and where there was no good
2 reason for their existence, have been
, discontinued. They have not all been
= relegated to the past however. The
, rule which closes the Government
: Department buildings to visitors al
= two o'clock is still in force, much tC
1 the Inconvenience of strangers. It j,
: a serious disappointment to visitors
f here only for few days, and trying
I to get as much sightseeing as pos
Il sible into that time, to be shut out a
f so early an hour from so many place,
of interest. They feel, and have ;
n right to feel that in peoples Gov
= eminent the peoples convenience
u ought To he considered Il little, anC